Leukoplakia
Also called: smoker's keratosis
Thickened, white patches inside the mouth.
- Treatable by a medical professional
- Requires a medical diagnosis
- Lab tests or imaging rarely required
- Medium-term: resolves within months
Most leukoplakia patches are noncancerous, but some show early signs of cancer. They may be caused by tobacco products.
Thickened, white patches form on the gums, the insides of the cheeks, the bottom of the mouth, and, sometimes, the tongue. The patches can't be scraped off.
For most people, stopping tobacco or alcohol use clears the condition. In rare cases when patches are persistent, surgery can remove them.
Common: More than 200,000 US cases per year
Consult a doctor for medical advice
Sources: Mayo Clinic and others. Learn more
People also ask
What is the cause of idiopathic leukoplakia?
Factors most frequently blamed for the development of idiopathic leukoplakia include tobacco use, alcohol consumption, chronic irritation, candidiasis, vitamin deficiency, endocrine disturbances, and possibly a virus.
Jun 19, 2023
Is leukoplakia usually cancer?
Most leukoplakia patches are not cancer. But some patches show early signs of cancer. Cancers in the mouth can occur next to areas of leukoplakia. White areas mixed with red areas, also called speckled leukoplakia, may possibly lead to cancer.
What are the two types of leukoplakia?
There are two main types: homogenous and non-homogenous leukoplakia. Homogenous leukoplakia consists of uniformly white plaques which have a lower likelihood for turning into cancer. Non-homogenous leukoplakias, which resemble mixed red and white non-uniform patches, have a greater likelihood of turning into cancer.
Should I be worried about leukoplakia?
Leukoplakia is a condition that creates white patches on your tongue, gums or the inside of your cheeks. The patches don't hurt but they don't go away. Leukoplakia may look harmless, but the condition may become oral cancer. Talk to your dentist if you notice white patches in your mouth.
Mar 1, 2015 · Idiopathic leukoplakia is a rare potentially malignant lesion, usually found on the tongue with an increased risk of malignant ...
You may develop leukoplakia because something is irritating the inside of your mouth. People with leukoplakia may have an increased risk of oral cancer.
Oral leukoplakia is a white patch or plaque that develops in the oral cavity. The condition is potentially malignant and is strongly associated with tobacco ...
Jun 19, 2023 · Factors most frequently blamed for the development of idiopathic leukoplakia include tobacco use, alcohol consumption, chronic irritation, ...
Oct 26, 2020 · Idiopathic leukoplakia is a white-greyish lesion (patch or plaque), which cannot be removed, being asymptomatic and devoid of pathology.
Jan 25, 2023 · May be idiopathic, but is commonly seen in heavy tobacco users and consumers of alcohol or areca nut (betel quid). The majority are ...
Leukoplakia is a firmly attached white patch on a mucous membrane which is associated with increased risk of cancer.
It is usually closely related to smoking, although it may also appear in non-smokers, in which case it is considered idiopathic. OL has classically been ...
Idiopathic leukoplakias have a significantly increased risk of malignant transformation than leukoplakias that are associated with a specific etiologic factor ( ...
Proliferative verrucous leukoplakia (PVL) is a rare and specific disease that differs from oral leukoplakia, which is neither a delimited lesion nor a ...
